Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0017’

ABSTRACT

A new  Pelargonium  plant named ‘PEQZ0017’ particularly distinguished by the light pink with a darker colored spot in the center of the inflorescences that are held above the medium-green foliage, very heat and drought tolerant with continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, and exceptional edema tolerance on a well-branched plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Pelargonium interspecific.

Varietal denomination: ‘PEQZ0017’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Pelargonium, botanically known as Pelargonium interspecific, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘PEQZ0017’.

‘PEQZ0017’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘PEQZ0017’ has light pink flowers with a darker pink spot in the center of the petals, continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, and exceptional edema tolerance on a medium size, well-branched plant habit.

‘PEQZ0017’ originates from a hybridization in a controlled breeding program made in 2010 in a greenhouse in Guatemala, Central America. The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary plant of P. interspecific parentage, identified as ‘10934-1’ with light pink color florets that had a center spot in the petals and a larger growing plant when compared to ‘PEQZ0017’.

The male parent of ‘PEQZ0017’ was an unpatented, proprietary plant of P. interspecific parentage, identified as ‘10816-3’ with rose colored florets that also had spots in the center of the petals and was later to flower had more susceptible to botrytis when compared to ‘PEQZ0017’. The resultant seed was sown in March 2010.

‘PEQZ0017’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in June 2010 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PEQZ0017’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in the July 2010 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in September 2010 in Gilroy, Calif., and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘PEQZ0017’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘PEQZ0017’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

‘PEQZ0017’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effective filing date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘PEQZ0017’ directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Pelargonium as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘PEQZ0017’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type. The photographic drawing shows in FIG. 1, 3 flowering plants of the new variety and in FIG. 2, a close-up of an inflorescence.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Gilroy, Calif. in early September 2016 under natural light. These plants were approximately 16 weeks old and were grown in a garden field trial. The plants shown in the photographs were about 25 weeks old and were grown in a 10 inch pot in a greenhouse. The photographs were taken in April 2016.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001.

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and             rounded growth habit, heat and drought tolerant with             continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, edema             tolerance, well-branched plant habit.         -   Plant height.—22-28 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—28-34 cm.         -   Plant width.—55-60 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—15-18 days at about 22             degrees C.         -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—21-23 days at 22             degrees C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter. -   Foliage:     -   -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 137A with             a slightly lighter mottling.         -   Immature leaf, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 138A.         -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 137A with             slightly lighter mottling.         -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—Between RHS 138A and B.         -   Length.—5.5-6.0 cm.         -   Width.—10-10.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Cordate.         -   Base shape.—Cordate.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Slightly dentate.         -   Texture upper side.—Hirsute.         -   Texture lower side.—Hirsute.         -   Leaf zonation color.—None.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 137C becoming indistinct.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 137C becoming indistinct.         -   Pattern of veining.—Palmate.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 137C.         -   Petiole length.—9-11 cm.         -   Diameter of petiole.—0.2-0.3 cm.         -   Texture.—Pilose, hirsute, glandular hairs. -   Stem:     -   -   Quantity of branches.—5-8.         -   Color of stem.—Closest to RHS 138B.         -   Length of stem.—18-22 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.5-1.0 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—1.0-2.0 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely hirsute, pilose, glandular hairs. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 146D overlain with RHS 182A.         -   Length of peduncle.—20-25 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.4-0.6 cm.         -   Texture.—Hirsute, glandular hairs. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Color of pedicel.—Between RHS 145A overlain with RHS 182B.         -   Length of pedicel.—3.0-4.0 cm.         -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.15-0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely pilose, glandular hairs. -   Bud (just before opening):     -   -   Color.—RHS 62A with RHS 57B spot.         -   Length.—2.5 cm.         -   Width.—2.0-2.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical. -   Inflorescence     -   -   Type.—Umbel; semi-spherical or nearly semi-spherical.         -   Lastingness of individual flowers.—7-9 days at 18° C.             temperature.         -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—12, with 15 immature             umbels in various stages.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Umbel diameter.—10-13 cm.         -   Umbel depth.—6.0-6.5 cm. -   Corolla:     -   -   Form.—Semi-double.         -   Number of petals.—6.         -   Diameter of flower.—4.5-5.0 cm.         -   Depth of flower.—2-2.5 cm.         -   Color upper petals, upper surface.—Closest to RHS 62B with             RHS 57B spot and striping.         -   Color upper petals, lower surface.—Between RHS 62B&C.         -   Length of upper petals.—2.5-3.0 cm.         -   Width of upper petals.—1.7 cm.         -   Color lower petals, upper surface.—Closest to RHS 62B with             RHS 57B spots and striping.         -   Color lower petals, lower surface.—Between RHS 62B&C.         -   Length of lower petals.—2.5 cm.         -   Width of lower petals.—2.2 cm.         -   Petal shape.—Obovate to spathulate.         -   Apex shape.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Petal texture.—Papillose on both surfaces. -   Calyx:     -   -   Number of sepals.—6.         -   Color of sepals.—RHS 145B mottled with anthocyanins of RHS             182A.         -   Length of sepals.—1.5 cm.         -   Width of sepals.—0.3-0.5 cm.         -   Sepal shape.—Lanceolate to linear.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margins.—Mostly fused.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.         -   Lower surface.—Glandular hairs, hirsute. -   Reproductive organs: -   Gynoecium:     -   -   Pistil.—1.         -   Length.—0.7-0.8 cm.         -   Style color.—Closest to RHS 57B.         -   Style length.—0.4-0.5 cm.         -   Stigma color.—Closest to RHS 57B.         -   Ovary color.—Between RHS 144A and RHS 144B.         -   Ovary length.—0.3-0.4 cm.         -   Ovary diameter.—0.2 cm. -   Androecium:     -   -   Number of stamens.—7-9.         -   Color of filaments.—RHS 157C.         -   Length filaments.—0.8 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 47C.         -   Length of anthers.—0.2 cm.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS 25B.         -   Pollen amount.—Normal.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been determined to date.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been determined to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0017’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 